A different kind of Christmas

This year was a different kind of Christmas.  I think you'll understand what I mean by the end of this post.  We started off with a wonderful "Christmas Adam."  I LOVE this time where all my children, their spouses and their children all come over for brunch.  I am loving this season of life where we are all together.   

We have a wonderful breakfast together, then we open gifts that we give from one household to another.  (For example, the kids in my home and Patrick and I save our gifts for Christmas morning.  This is just the time when we exchange with Joshua's and Brenna's families.)

It was a wonderful time all together!

Then on Christmas Eve we had a beautiful Candlelight Service at VSIBC.  It is so pretty, and meaningful, and feels so "Christmas."  It's such a good time to reflect.  After church I went into the Youth Center and heated up 6 steaming mugs of yummy hot cocoa.  Then my 6 loaded up in our car and went looking at lights around our town.  I know I say this alot, but this is one of my favorite Christmas things to do.  (I guess I have many!) 

After we looked at lights we turned towards home so we could open stockings, read the Christmas story from Luke 2, give stocking gifts to Jesus, and focus on the reason for this season.  We were almost home when I heard the dreaded words...."Momma, I'm going to be sick."  And then, he was.

So through the night we dealt with the stomach bug.  My poor Micah tried to make it through Christmas morning gifts, but we took many breaks.  It took 4 shifts to open our gifts because my Micah was so sick.  We finally finished about 3pm.  It was different.

That afternoon, while waiting for Micah to feel better, we read, played a game or two and ate lunch.  We didn't want to open without him.

Silas was excited to meet his new rabbit that he named Happy!

 She's adorable and is due with babies at the end of January!!

That evening I told Micah to grab a blanket and we went over to Denise's for an amazing Christmas Dinner.  My Mother in Law is a fabulous cook!!! It was such a crazy day and I was out of sorts from feeling bad that Micah was feeling bad that I didn't even take one picture!!

 We exchanged gifts and had a wonderful time there.  Except for my poor Micah.  He stayed in the bedroom.

That night when we got home I was a little bummed at how Christmas went.  It wasn't how I had planned it.  Then the Lord reminded me that some parents are comforting their children on Christmas Day after a difficult day of Chemo.  Some are still grieving from losing loved ones this year and their presence is felt even more on Christmas Day.  Some are going through difficulties that I am not facing this Christmas.  I have so much to be thankful for.

And being the sharing family we are, we decided to pass the bug around to each other.  So it really was a different sort of Christmas week!!! (And for Joshua and Brenna's families too.  Boo for that!!)

I am so glad things are getting back to normal around here!!